Warm Afternoons
by shesasurvivor
Summary: Katniss and Peeta spend an early summer afternoon at the lake. Post-Mockingjay.


**Author's Note: **Hello, everyone! This is the first writing I've posted in AGES, and I feel like I'm a little rusty, so I apologize if this is a little choppy. Consider it a warm up for when I start posting WIPs again. ;)

It's already warm by the time Peeta and I reach the hill that leads us up to the lake. We didn't take much with us, only a small bag of bread he packed for our outing. We didn't bother to bring much more since he knew we'd find the rest of our food in the forest. Even now, along the way, we're already picking berries and popping them into our mouths, their plump round bodies bursting with juice as we bite down. I only have my bow, my quiver full of arrows hung over one shoulder, and my hunting sack tucked into my belt. Even still, the mid-morning sun causes both of us to break into a sweat.

"I'm already ready for a swim," I say just as the silvery-blue reflections of the lake come into view. "I could just jump right in."

"Won't be much longer," Peeta says. "Don't you want to eat first?"

"No," I tell him. "But we can set the line for fishing and try to scare the fish over in that direction while we swim."

We do just that when we get there, though it takes everything in me not to bypass even that and jump in. As quickly as possible, I tie the knots on the bait, and dip the string into the water. Then, heading to an area further from that spot, Peeta and I set up camp. While he straightens a blanket out on the ground for us to sit on, I immediately begin pulling clothes off until I'm in only my underwear.

"Can't wait?" He asks, his blue eyes studying my body, my every move as I shimmy out of my pants and toss them aside.

"No," I smile playfully at him. "Better hurry, or I'll beat you down there!"

He grins and shakes his head at this, because of course I'm going to win this imaginary race I've concocted for us. I'm already halfway to the water before he even has his shirt off.

I don't take time to acclimate myself once I reach the edge where the water laps against the rocky shore. It's so warm that I splash right in and dive under, breathing a sigh of relief from the cooler temperature. I swim down as far as I can, then turn around and come back up, flap back on my back and stare up at the brilliant blue sky above. The day is glorious.

_It's just like the day I was reaped. _

Startled by the way the thought intrudes on my mind, I frown. I quickly kick my legs, jettisoning around the small circumference of water around me. _Don't think about that, _I tell myself.

Fortunately, Peeta provides a distraction as he crashes into the water behind me. Without warning, he swims up next to me and scoops me up into his arms and out of the water.

"Peeta!" I shriek with laughter. He spins us slowly in place until he lets us both go, and we crash back into the lake together, both of us giggling like small children. Then I'm up on my feet, and looking at him with my hands on my hips, feigning a look of righteous indignation.

"Peeta Mellark," I say in the harshest voice I can muster. "Do you think that's funny?"

He's on his feet now, too, and before he answers he comes closer and closer until he's standing right in front of me. Then he gives me a silly, boyish grin. "Yes," he admits.

I shake my head, but before I can say anything else, he reaches over and pulls me in for a kiss. On his lips, I can taste every sweet berry he's eaten today. His skin is warm from being in the sun. Hot, even. It feels nice against the cool water beading from my wet skin. I feel a familiar tingle run down through my entire being and pool in my toes.

Pushing away from him, I turn and walk away. "No," I say.

"No?" I can hear the confusion in his voice. This is not how he expected this to play out.

I look back over my shoulder at him and smirk, then say with a mock air of superiority, "I don't think I should reward you for doing that."

"For doing what?" He asks a little too innocently.

"Catching me," I say. "You're going to have to try harder and catch me again if yo- " I stop, because before he even lets me finish the sentence, Peeta comes splashing after me. Laughing, I begin racing away from him, but I don't really try too hard to get away. He catches up to me just as I'm reaching shore and encompasses me in his arms.

"I thought you said you were hot," he says.

"I was," I say, meeting the playful glint in his eyes with one of my own. I try to hold a serious look, but it's no use. A grin creeps onto my face. "But the lake was cold."

"Then I'll have to warm you up." I don't even try to fight his kiss this time, instead letting myself give into it, and practically melt into his body as I do so. He holds me securely in his arms, his large hands clasped protectively on my back. They begin to graze lightly over the exposed skin, running up to my shoulders, then dangerously low down my back. Another electric volt courses through me, causing me to sigh.

I bring my own arms up and wrap them tightly around his neck, bringing him closer for a fierce kiss. Now I can feel the shudder run through Peeta, and his whole body responds against mine. There's no stopping what's about to happen, and really, why should there be? It's not new to either of us anymore; we've done it countless times in the safety of our houses.

It's Peeta who brings it up. He pulls away, albeit reluctantly, and holds my hands in his, his blue eyes reflecting concern as they search mine. "Here?" He asks me.

I bite my lip and nod before I can back out. Why shouldn't it be here? We've reclaimed the lake, haven't we? That's one thing my head doctor, Dr. Aurelius, has been working on with me. Not letting the past control my happiness today. And Peeta and I have made lots of happy memories here at the lake since we came back to 12.

"Okay… " He agrees. "But… right _here?"_

I glance around us, my head feeling a bit foggy. I guess Peeta is right. Right here does seem a bit… open.

"No. Somewhere more private."

"Where?"

I think. We could go to the forest, but I'm not sure I want to wait as long as it takes to walk over to where the trees begin. There's the old cabin, but as much progress as I've made, I'm still not ready to face the memories that place holds, let alone do something like this in there. Both of us look around, until I spy a tall clump of grass growing not too far from the shore of the lake, only a short distance away from us. Perfect.

We walk over hand in hand, and sink into the long blades that conceal us perfectly once we're sitting. That's a relief. I doubt anyone would see us up here, since even now no one really visits the lake besides us. But we still don't want to take a chance. Neither of us even remove much clothing, only taking off the necessary articles required for the act.

Once Peeta is inside me, though, all fears of being caught melt away as I'm taken up in the pleasure of him filling me up. Falling into rhythm with him, I wrap my arms around him, lightly running my nails up and down his back as we kiss lazily. Above us, the sun shines brilliantly, the sky is a dazzling blue, the grass is vibrant green. Life is teeming all around us.

When we're done, Peeta settles down next to me, his legs kicked up as he relaxes. Even he looks beautiful in the summer sunshine and post-sex glow. The light makes the blond hair all over his body glisten, and a sleepy smile illuminates his face. "That was amazing," he says. "We should do that more often."

I smile, and move so that my head rests on his chest, strong and healthy again despite the off-color patches that cover it. He wraps an arm around me, and for some time, we both lie there in silence as we mull things over.

After some time, he speaks up. "Do… do you think it was wrong?" He asks very quietly. "To do that here when this was where everyone gathered after the bombing?"

I look up at him, startled, mostly because that had been the exact thought that had been eating away at me. Our eyes meet, and we both silently try to work it out.

"Do you think it was?" I finally respond.

He thinks about it for another few seconds. "I don't know," he says, drawing the words out carefully. "I feel kind of guilty about it. But then I think about what Dr. Aurelius says about not letting the past control us anymore."

I let out a low chuckle. "He's been working on the same thing with me."

"Really?" This makes Peeta grin. I feel him relax a little underneath me. He pulls his spare arm up and rests it under his head. "Maybe it's okay, then."

I don't know how much longer we stay there like that, but it's Peeta who gets up first, pulling me up after him and leading me back to the lake where we splash around for some time. Laughing as we play. The day fades into evening, as we gather and forage for food. We check the lines, and pull out two large fish. Peeta starts a fire to cook them with, while I take off with my bow for a little bit of hunting.

After we've eaten our dinner, we sit together, me between his legs with my back to his chest. We watch as fireflies slowly begin to dot the air, striking against the fading light.

"We should get back," I say after a while. "Wild dogs and other things come out after dark in the woods."

"We've survived worse."

That's true. I rest my hand on top of his as it rests on my stomach. "I guess we can evade them if we run into anything," I say.

He doesn't answer for some time. When he finally does, it's only in the form of a soft kiss he plants on top of my head; then he nestles his face into my hair. I don't know what possesses me to say it, but it comes out before I can stop it.

"I wish we could live in this moment forever."

I don't even have to look at him to know that he's smiling. He brings my hand up behind me, to his soft lips, and gives it a kiss.

"I'm starting to think we can."


End file.
